Women set up quarterfinal clash with Bangladesh; men to face Sri Lanka
NEW DELHI, Jan 16: India continued their impressive run in the Kho Kho World Cup 2025, securing a commanding 71-34 victory over Bhutan at the IG Indoor Stadium on Thursday night. The win guarantees India’s position at the top of Group A.
The hosts set the tone early in the first turn, displaying exceptional attacking prowess to accumulate 32 points. The Indian team’s sky diving skills were particularly noteworthy, with players demonstrating remarkable agility throughout the match. In the second turn, India showcased their defensive expertise, effectively containing Bhutan’s attacks. Despite Bhutan’s speed, they managed only 18 points across three batches, thanks to India’s strategic play and clever opposition management.The third turn saw India return to attack mode with renewed vigor. Nikhil emerged as a standout performer with his exceptional sky diving abilities, helping the team secure 36 points.
Continuing their unbeaten streak, the Indian women’s team notched a commanding victory over Malaysia to enter the quarterfinals.
The home team started the game with a ‘Dream Run’ in their opening batch, setting the tone for an exciting win.
Twenty-seven seconds into Turn 2, the first batch of Malaysian players had been eliminated, giving India a solid platform to build a substantial lead.Monika and the Wazir, Nirmala Bhati, powered the team throughout their attack, while for Malaysia, Eng Zi Yi and Lakshita Vijayan kept them afloat.The Malaysian side came close to a ‘Dream Run’ but fell short by 1 minute and 4 seconds at the end of Turn 2, with the scoreline 44-6 in favour of India.The first Dream Run of Turn 3 for India was led by Subhashree Sing, as their third batch of the game continued for 4 minutes and 42 seconds. This was enough to give the home team another massive lead heading into the final Turn of the game with the score at 48-20.Turn 4 was as dominating for India as the rest of the game. Once again, the Indian team ruled the roost and made it three wins in three games, beating their opponents by 80 points. (PTI)